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arXiv · 1308.2726

Polymer-disordered liquid crystals: Susceptibility to electric field

Lena M. Lopatina·Jonathan V. Selinger
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Abstract

When nematic liquid crystals are embedded in random polymer networks, the disordered environment disrupts the long-range order, producing a glassy state. If an electric field is applied, it induces large and fairly temperature-independent orientational order. To understand the experiments, we simulate a liquid crystal in a disordered polymer network, visualize the domain structure, and calculate the response to a field. Furthermore, using an Imry-Ma-like approach we predict the domain size and estimate the field-induced order. The simulations and analytic results agree with each other, and suggest how the materials can be optimized for electro-optic applications.

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Lena M. Lopatina, Jonathan V. Selinger. 2013-08-13. Polymer-disordered liquid crystals: Susceptibility to electric field. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.88.062510

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